]]>Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as our members. We take every opportunity to showcase their expertise and accomplishments – promotions, speaking engagements, publications and more. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our members each month.

March’s Cloud Expert of the Month is Jess Bryar

Jess Bryar is a Global Account Manager for Masergy, where she helps multinational companies with their global connectivity, security, telecommunications and SD-WAN solutions. Prior to joining Masergy, she was Sales Director – Cloud Solutions for Sandler Partners, where she helped partners and their clients move network, storage, email and other applications to the cloud. Jess has seven years of experience in the telecom industry.

When did you join Cloud Girls and why?I joined Cloud Girls because I’m a philanthropist at heart and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to mentor the next generation of young woman.

What do you value about being part of Cloud Girls?I value the lifetime friendships that I have received, but what I value most is the camaraderie, mentoring and network of women that empower me and lift me up. It’s amazing to be in a group of competitors, but when together we’re all equal. It’s nothing that I have experienced, it’s awesome.

What advice would you give to your younger self at the start of your career?Be confident and do not second guess yourself. When I was younger and starting in my career, I missed a lot of opportunities because I was so focused on knowing every last detail about my service and I felt that I needed to be able to answer every and any question my client may have had. I learned that I have a team and resources and to ask for help when needed and that it’s OK to say some version of, “That’s a great question, let me get back to you”.

How do you avoid being complacent in your role?
I love this question because I’m always on the hunt for more knowledge. In order to avoid complacency, I make it a point to challenge myself. Every day is a learning experience for me. When my engineers mentions something on a call, I make a point to ask them what it means so I can learn it for myself. I like to be challenged and learn what’s in the marketplace, newest technologies and trends. For example 5G and security are both so hot right now, and my partners and clients keep asking for more information on these topics. I’ve had previous employers that did not see the value in certifications and learning, so I found time to do it on my own. There’s nothing more empowering than knowledge.

What one piece of advice would you share with young women to encourage them to take a seat at the table?
Times have changed; women have proven that we’re smart enough to sit at the table. This is a question that I’m very passionate about and one of the reasons why I joined Cloud Girls. I admire how Cloud Girls gives back to young woman through our giving campaigns, and it was such an honor to be their Philanthropy Work Group Co-chair this year. I would tell women not to be afraid and that they are smart and qualified enough. Technology is evolving and such a fun field to be in. I would also tell young woman to stick up for themselves. My first job in tech was a difficult one and a lot of that had to do with management. Thankfully, I persevered and since then I found wonderful mentors and companies that value me and see that I’m an asset. Lastly, and most importantly, be confident! You can do it and anyone within the Cloud Girls organization will mentor and guide you — just reach out!

]]>Cloud Girls Profiled in New Book on How to Be a Woman in Technologyhttp://cloudgirls.org/cloud-girls-profiled-in-new-book-on-how-to-be-a-woman-in-technology/
Fri, 22 Feb 2019 16:00:42 +0000http://cloudgirls.org/?p=1708Cloud Girls is pleased to announce that several of our members are profiled in the new book, How to Be a Woman in Technology, by Cheryl O’Donoghue. The book includes 15 stories from relatable women who are unafraid to speak their truth and share their fascinating journeys as women in technology. From these stories, you’ll […]

The book includes 15 stories from relatable women who are unafraid to speak their truth and share their fascinating journeys as women in technology. From these stories, you’ll learn how to capitalize on strengths, discover professional purpose, network with intent and ease, negotiate, overcome obstacles, create meaningful business relationships, attract the “right” mentors as well as lead and inspire others.

The author, Cheryl O’Donoghue, MS, is a businesswoman, author, educator and co-founder of Mission Sisters Who Work, a humanitarian organization dedicated to advancing the development of women who work by bringing relatable, self-empowerment books and workshops to charitable groups. She is also a guest presenter at women-focused organizations and events, inspiring audiences to act in ways that give their lives more meaning and purpose.

Channel Marketing Journal, an online publication and community where channel chiefs share insights with each other and their partners, today announced its first-ever Channel Change Agents roster highlighting 2018’s most innovative channel leaders featuring the following Cloud Girls in these categories:

We’re honoring and recognizing women who have demonstrated innovation, solution-orientation and thought leadership in the cloud services space in the past year.

“The Cloud Girls Rising award was created to honor women in the service provider, cloud provider and channel community who have shown leadership and innovation in the emerging cloud space. Our goal is to inspire more women to step forward and follow their example,” said Cloud Girls Co-founder Jo Peterson, vice president of Cloud Services, Clarify360.

We’ll honor winners in two categories:

Trailblazer: A seasoned female technology industry veteran who is paving the way for her organization, customers and industry in advancing cloud and next-generation technology solutions.

Rising Star: A female up-and-comer in the cloud community who has shown initiative in advancing cloud and next-generation technology solutions for her organization, customers and the industry.

All applications must be submitted by March 1, 2019. Applications will be reviewed and scored by representatives of Cloud Girls and Alliance of Channel Women.

Winners will receive a commemorative trophy, which will be presented on the Channel Partners Studio stage at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo at 2:55 p.m. on April 11, 2019.

About Cloud GirlsCloud Girls is vendor-neutral, not-for-profit community of female technology advocates dedicated to educating themselves, their organizations and customers about the vast and dynamic cloud ecosystem. By exploring emerging market and technical trends, advocating best practices and building community, Cloud Girls is fostering female thought leaders in next-generation technology. For more information, visit www.cloudgirls.org.

About Alliance of Channel WomenEstablished in 2010, Alliance of Channel Women is a not-for-profit organization of women who are in leadership, ownership and revenue-generating roles in the indirect sales channel of the telecom and IT industry. ACW brings us together to empower and advance women’s careers and leadership roles in the technology channel. To learn more and to become a member, please visit www.allianceofchannelwomen.com

]]>Meet Amy Kramer: Cloud Expert of the Month – February 2019http://cloudgirls.org/meet-amy-kramer-cloud-expert-of-the-month-february-2019/
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 04:00:57 +0000http://cloudgirls.org/?p=1673Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as its members. We're excited to shine a spotlight on Amy Kramer.

]]>Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as our members. We take every opportunity to showcase their expertise and accomplishments – promotions, speaking engagements, publications and more. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our members each month.

February’s Cloud Expert of the Month is Amy Kramer

Amy Kramer has a 20-year track record supporting global businesses with hybrid cloud and managed hosting services. Currently she is Senior Engagement Manager, Global Enterprise Solutions for NTT America, an NTT Com Company, where she manages multimillion-dollar global accounts by providing hybrid cloud and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platforms to support their critical data and business applications.

When did you join Cloud Girls?

I joined Cloud Girls in 2013.

What do you value about being part of Cloud Girls?

I value the learning and knowledge share and introductions to a new group that has the same interests.

What is the biggest risk that you’ve taken?

During my last year at my previous company, I took on a team as a sales director, which meant I was reliant on a team and not just myself to meet our financial and strategic goals. Even though I ended up moving on and determining I preferred being an individual contributor, it was valuable to get to know myself and confirm what I really wanted in my career.

What’s your favorite inspirational quote?“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelo

What are the most exciting opportunities for women in tech?

I see an enormous opportunity in all areas of technology and a never-ending demand to fill positions, which women can have a great influence on. When I was looking for a new opportunity a couple of years ago, there were so many openings in so many areas that it was over-whelming knowing where to focus your career.

]]>Cloud Girls Kicks Off Year-End Fundraiser for Girls Who Codehttp://cloudgirls.org/cloud-girls-kicks-off-year-end-fundraiser-for-girls-who-code/
Tue, 27 Nov 2018 18:00:18 +0000http://cloudgirls.org/?p=1650In the spirit of #GivingTuesday, Cloud Girls announced today it is supporting Girls Who Code for our year-end charitable initiative. We are upping the stakes this year with a team goal $6,500! Join Cloud Girls and donate here: https://www.classy.org/team/201049

In the spirit of #GivingTuesday, Cloud Girls announced today it is supporting Girls Who Code for our year-end charitable initiative. We are upping the stakes this year with a team goal $6,500! Join Cloud Girls and donate here: https://www.classy.org/team/201049

]]>Meet Leanne Hurley: Cloud Expert of the Month – November 2018http://cloudgirls.org/cloud-girl-of-the-month-leanne-hurley/
Tue, 27 Nov 2018 16:00:30 +0000http://cloudgirls.org/?p=1632Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as our members. We take every opportunity to showcase their expertise and accomplishments – promotions, speaking engagements, publications and more. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our members each month. November’s Cloud Expert of the Month is Leanne […]

]]>Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as our members. We take every opportunity to showcase their expertise and accomplishments – promotions, speaking engagements, publications and more. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our members each month.

November’s Cloud Expert of the Month is Leanne HurleyLeanne Hurley has a 20-year track record of delighting customers in direct sales and in numerous sales specialist roles. She joined SAP in 2014 as a Cloud Sales Specialist selling HANA Enterprise Cloud for the Financial Services industry. Hurley’s drive for excellence helped her achieve some of the largest and most strategic cloud transformational deals in recent years, and in one of SAP’s most competitive industries. She has been recognized as an “SAP Catalyst” for her sales leadership and is a three-time Winners Circle recipient for strategic cloud deals.

When did you join Cloud Girls and why?

I joined at the inception of Cloud Girls in September of 2011 because I do pretty much whatever [Cloud Girls’ Co-founder] Manon Buettner asks me to do.

What do you value about being part of Cloud Girls?

I have always supported my female counterparts; I love the comradery and collaboration.

What advice would you give to your younger self at the start of your career?

Stop apologizing for everything. Your empathy and genuine interest in others is your best asset.

What impresses you the most when you are considering hiring someone?
Tenacity, the willingness to learn and relentless drive.

What one piece of advice would you share with young women to encourage them to take a seat at the table?
Times have changed, women have proven that we are not only smart enough to sit at the table, but we’re smart enough to lead the conversation. Be bold and have conviction!

]]>November 12-13, 2018 – CloudExpohttp://cloudgirls.org/november-12-13-2018-cloudexpo/
Thu, 01 Nov 2018 16:00:05 +0000http://cloudgirls.org/?p=1304Cloud Girls’ Co-founder Jo Peterson, vice president of cloud services for Clarify360, was named to the faculty at CloudExpo, November 12-13 in New York City. She’s presenting on “Cloud Computing Is a Transformation, Not a Migration.”

]]>Meet Donna Kruse: Cloud Expert of the Month – September 2018http://cloudgirls.org/meet-donna-kruse-cloud-expert-of-the-month-september-2018/
Sun, 23 Sep 2018 17:00:59 +0000http://cloudgirls.org/?p=1624Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as our members. We take every opportunity to showcase their expertise and accomplishments – promotions, speaking engagements, publications and more. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our members each month. September’s Cloud Expert of the Month is Donna […]

]]>Cloud Girls is honored to have amazingly accomplished, professional women in tech as our members. We take every opportunity to showcase their expertise and accomplishments – promotions, speaking engagements, publications and more. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our members each month.

September’s Cloud Expert of the Month is Donna Kruse

Donna Kruse is an tech industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience. In 2018, she founded Savvy Technologies with the goal working closely with a select group of enterprise accounts to help them navigate the cloud journey. With her expertise in emerging technologies such as SD-WAN, cloud UC and contact center, and security, Kruse helps her customers simplify the evaluation, acquisition and implementation of this complex and often confusing technology.

Previously, she worked at AT&T, Lucent Technologies and most recently Qwest Communications, where she earned numerous sales achievement awards as well as customer accolades.

Kruse is also a passionate advocate for women in technology. She currently serves as the chair of the Tech Trek Committee, which sends promising 13-year-old girls to STEM camp for one week on full scholarship. The organization works with math and science teachers in middle school who nominate the students, and also works all year to raise the scholarship funds.

When did you join Cloud Girls and why?

I joined the moment the group was formed thanks to my colleague Jo Peterson, who is the founder. I joined to become more versed in all things cloud, and to connect with motivated and accomplished women in the tech industry.

What do you value about being a Cloud Girl?

The education and the connections!

How did you find a career in tech? Did you choose it or did you end up here and how?

I was working for a startup franchise of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). One of my responsibilities was acquiring our office technology including the phone system. I looked at AT&T among other choices, purchased from them and became great friends with the local rep, Beth Rauhaus. When I told her that I was ready for my next challenge, she told me that I needed to come work for AT&T. The rest is history.

How do you define success?
To me, success is making a difference and having fun. I love what I do. Give me a high-maintenance customer and a difficult problem to solve, and you’ve just made my day because that’s my specialty.

What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you?
The biggest challenge for the next generation of women is to not take for granted the rights that those who went before them fought so hard to secure.

What one piece of advice would you share with young women to encourage them to take a seat at the table?
Get over the popularity contest and take you seat. Period.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – September 30, 2018 – Cloud Girls, a not-for-profit consortium of women evangelizing cloud technology, is getting a brand makeover with the launch of a new logo and website along with a refined mission and vision.

Cloud Girls was formed in 2011 as a home for women in tech that wanted to advance their knowledge of emerging cloud technology through collaborative education and information sharing. Over the past seven years, Cloud Girls has evolved into an organization that represents female technology thought leaders who are not only learning about cloud solutions, but also driving conversations about a range of emerging technologies.

“When we started Cloud Girls, it was to fill a gap in the marketplace for educating ourselves and other women in tech about cloud solutions,” said Cloud Girls Co-Founder Jo Peterson, vice president of cloud solutions at Clarify 360. “After many years of focus on education and real-world practice implementing cloud solutions, our members have become pioneers and emerging leaders in the space.

“We believe cloud is an underlying foundational vehicle for next-generation emerging technologies like IoT, security, blockchain, AI, machine learning and more. We’re eager to share what we’ve learned to help others, particularly other women, to be successful in technology careers.”

As a result, the Cloud Girls membership has adopted new mission, vision and values:

Our mission is to unite female technology thought leaders to advance the conversation about cloud solutions through education, collaboration and inspiration for our companies, our customers, ourselves and the next generation of women in tech.

Our vision is to inspire and empower women as thought leaders in the evolving cloud and next-generation technology space.

Our core values:

Demonstrating technology thought leadership

Building a community of women leaders in tech

Celebrating the successes of women in tech

Inspiring the next generation of women in tech

Giving back to organizations for women and girls

To deliver on these goals, Cloud Girls is launching a new brand identity and a new website, which will enable interested parties to connect with our members as technology experts — authors, trainers, speakers, consultants and solutions providers. Specifically, the Cloud Girls website now includes a new Press Center and Speakers Bureau to help match subject matter experts to industry opportunities.

“Cloud Girls has built a strong community of women in the cloud that’s evolved into a think tank. We’re literally developing female cloud thought leaders and evangelists,” said Peterson. “We’re excited to engage with customers, media, event managers and others who want to learn more about emerging technologies.”

About Cloud Girls

Founded in 2011, Cloud Girls is vendor-neutral, not-for-profit community of female technology advocates dedicated to educating themselves, their organizations and customers about the vast and dynamic cloud ecosystem. By exploring emerging markets and technical trends, advocating best practices and building community, Cloud Girls is fostering female thought leaders in next-generation technology. For more information, visit www.cloudgirls.org